Who’s up for a new 2021 contest? Brainstorming thread

Evergreengardener

Agronomist,
In the end the contests seem to all come down to who can last the longest without fucking up one of the rules, then a popularity contest vote at the end. There is no honest way to judge anything but pics. The pic could inclued rulers and such, but anything with weights and scales are out. Too easy to fudge.

Not saying there's a better way, but unless we can all drag our plants into someones garage for the final vote it is what it is.

The more rules there are, the less entries there will be, and less of those entries that actually complete the competition.

How many were there at the end of the last one? I wasn't following along for most of it.
This is why I want this one to not have those restrictions. And no popularity contest every one picks their fav 3 and then we tally the winning numbers. Remember @thenotsoesoteric tester comp? Tons of people played the till the end because there wasn’t crazy rules

as far as only soil or hydro let’s not limit it to that you can run any way you like. Start as many plants as you like and pic the contestant by a certain date.

If you all want a constant variable in this comp. I have Reg seed that can be supplied for the contest so everyone is growing the same cross?
 

Evergreengardener

Agronomist,
The cool thing about the small plant competitions is more people can participate. Not everyone has space to grow out a bunch of monsters. Solo cups, 1 gals, etc. most of us can throw 1 or 2 of those into the flower tent no problem.
I like the 1 gallon idea, I’ve seen the hydro guys get super crafty in solo comps before so what if we did pick your own container and set the limit of no more than 2 gal. You could use anything you wanted but not exceeding 2 gal size total so no extra Rez of bigger size
 

Dis39

Really Active Member
To be clear I am just stating what I am excited about. I am but one man so when I say "Id like this" it literally means, Id like that. Im not a petulant child demanding my way, I am a voting citizen speaking whats exciting to me. A contest with no rules is kind of... Well how is that a contest? We have a quarter mile race, you got some showing up in cars, on foot, etc. No rules except you have to start here, end there, and cross on land!

Id like to think Esos comp went so well, because of the excitement of Esos gear, not the lackadaisical rules of the contest. I am not sure, as I did not participate nor do I think I was even around, just speculation.

If a soil grower wants to go head to head in 1 gallon pots, DM me with a start date. Ive only ever done a 1 gallon grow once with a small auto. If someone wants to run the same genetics head to head, Id love to do that as well.

I view these contests as an opportunity to learn through other people showcasing their skills and challenges, or learning how to overcome obstacles alongside peers.
 
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MtRainDog

Blümen Meister
To be clear I am just stating what I am excited about. I am but one man so when I say "Id like this" it literally means, Id like that. Im not a petulant child demanding my way, I am a voting citizen speaking whats exciting to me. A contest with no rules is kind of... Well how is that a contest? We have a quarter mile race, you got some showing up in cars, on foot, etc. No rules except you have to start here, end there, and cross on land!

Id like to think Esos comp went so well, because of the excitement of Esos gear, not the lackadaisical rules of the contest. I am not sure, as I did not participate nor do I think I was even around, just speculation.

If a soil grower wants to go head to head in 1 gallon pots, DM me with a start date. Ive only ever done a 1 gallon grow once with a small auto. If someone wants to run the same genetics head to head, Id love to do that as well.
The problem with having lots of rules and constraints is it takes hundreds of posts about confusion over the rules and constraints before anything gets going. By that time, you've lost the majority people around here. That's how the last few competitions have gone here. And of course more rules and more constraints will eliminate many people who can't run that way, or it doesn't fit their schedule, etc.
 

Dis39

Really Active Member
The problem with having lots of rules and constraints is it takes hundreds of posts about confusion over the rules and constraints before anything gets going. By that time, you've lost the majority people around here. That's how the last few competitions have gone here. And of course more rules and more constraints will eliminate many people who can't run that way, or it doesn't fit their schedule, etc.
If you dont have 52 cards in your deck, then solitaire might not be your game.

If we keep lowering the hoop, at what point do we stop calling it basketball?

How many dead grow journals are on grow forums with the first week entered and then ghosted... Had nothing to do with "the rules", has to do with the overwhelming lack of grit and follow through abundantly present among todays contest grower! :unsure:

Everyone agrees small pot. A couple or I alone say no solo cup. We have a loose idea for a start and finish date.

We are doing away with dry seed.

We are doing away with final pot.

There is no limit on entries from what I understand?

I think Ill start 10 different Seedsman free fems in 1 gallons and keep the best for the contest, that'll let me test some of these freebies and add some variety to the jars.
 

NoWaistedSpace

I'm Hoarding Skunk
I was thinking this as I took a shower after my post. I realize that's not the caliber of contest or participants we have here, but I arrived at the same thought.
I'm talking about even being able to pick the female seeds out of the regs., The type for the amount of time in contest.(getting the right flower times)
Everyone needs to learn these techniques to be a great grower.
You pick the wrong seeds to plant and they turn male. You're out! lol
Toss all the "newfangled" shit out. Apocalypse style of growing with bare materials.
As @HAF said, the contests run too long. People develop problems and boils down to "last plant standing" kinda thing.
 
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H.A.F.

a.k.a. Rusty Nails
Making up rules for a game with no goal or end is silly, and results in a contest no one plays in or cares much about

and a popularity contest vote that might as well have been another POTM that you didn't have to follow rules for 4 months in.
 

Dis39

Really Active Member
You guys completely missed what I was saying.

Think about this, decide this, then the rules won't matter, or will be pretty obvious:

What is a win?
I suppose my question is actually not how do I win, but how do I grow most from this challenge, as winning is not what its about for me. Learning how others tackle similar problems differently is my prize package. If I see another soil grower in 1 gallon watering 1000mL a day and Im doing 500mL twice a day, I want to see what that looks like.

Edit: Which kind of leads me to my earlier proposal, if anyone wants to grow the same genetics in the same size pot from the same start date in the name of science, DM me.
 

Dis39

Really Active Member
Making up rules for a game with no goal or end is silly, and results in a contest no one plays in or cares much about

and a popularity contest vote that might as well have been another POTM that you didn't have to follow rules for 4 months in.
This was my sentiment with the POTM quip earlier.
 

H.A.F.

a.k.a. Rusty Nails
I suppose my question is actually not how do I win, but how do I grow most from this challenge, as winning is not what its about for me. Learning how others tackle similar problems differently is my prize package.
Then you're already doing that - why should you earn a prize? It is what the forum is daily. I'm doing it too.

A contest needs to have a definitive 'victory', a goal to shoot for. Weight is a good one. Maybe video of it being dumped into a zero-d scale is good - but then did all those extra nugs get snuck in to add weight? Weighing the whole plant? Who knows.

If all you are going for is votes at the end it's more like school, getting watched and graded for months then having a pass fail final exam at the end with only one pass. Not fun. "Damn, I was close" isn't even fun if all you were close on was votes.

If I missed it by 3.275g, or the biggest top was an inch shorter, or my fan leaves had fewer blades - whatever - and my second place was a legit second place, then I applaud the winner. There has to be a goal. A quantifiable measurement of something - which is hard on a forum.
 

MtRainDog

Blümen Meister
Then you're already doing that - why should you earn a prize? It is what the forum is daily. I'm doing it too.

A contest needs to have a definitive 'victory', a goal to shoot for. Weight is a good one. Maybe video of it being dumped into a zero-d scale is good - but then did all those extra nugs get snuck in to add weight? Weighing the whole plant? Who knows.

If all you are going for is votes at the end it's more like school, getting watched and graded for months then having a pass fail final exam at the end with only one pass. Not fun. "Damn, I was close" isn't even fun if all you were close on was votes.

If I missed it by 3.275g, or the biggest top was an inch shorter, or my fan leaves had fewer blades - whatever - and my second place was a legit second place, then I applaud the winner. There has to be a goal. A quantifiable measurement of something - which is hard on a forum.
I'm with ya, it's just weight is never my goal. Oh you were a big yielder? Great, I don't have enough mason jars for your ass. I agree it's about the only quantifiable result, but what if it's just a bunch of boof? Who cares then? lol. I'm really not trying to argue, it's just that these things get so subjective.
 

Dis39

Really Active Member
Then you're already doing that - why should you earn a prize? It is what the forum is daily. I'm doing it too.

A contest needs to have a definitive 'victory', a goal to shoot for. Weight is a good one. Maybe video of it being dumped into a zero-d scale is good - but then did all those extra nugs get snuck in to add weight? Weighing the whole plant? Who knows.

If all you are going for is votes at the end it's more like school, getting watched and graded for months then having a pass fail final exam at the end with only one pass. Not fun. "Damn, I was close" isn't even fun if all you were close on was votes.

If I missed it by 3.275g, or the biggest top was an inch shorter, or my fan leaves had fewer blades - whatever - and my second place was a legit second place, then I applaud the winner. There has to be a goal. A quantifiable measurement of something - which is hard on a forum.
I think I understand your perspective, and make no attempt to do anything other than share mine.

I am not looking for a prize, I am looking for knowledge. 10 growers growing the same genetics in the same size pot excites me because of the knowledge it affords. A contest is as close as I will ever get to that, unless someone wants to "team up" and start running plants head to head on the regular. Any takers? Race teams that have multiple cars learn more on the track than small teams with one car. The treasures I seek are gems of knowledge between growers. I come into this looking for the 10 growers growing the same genetics in the same size pot, not looking for a hierarchy of prizes and winners.

The contest isnt my personal goal, its just the vessel.
 

NoWaistedSpace

I'm Hoarding Skunk
I think I understand your perspective, and make no attempt to do anything other than share mine.

I am not looking for a prize, I am looking for knowledge. 10 growers growing the same genetics in the same size pot excites me because of the knowledge it affords. A contest is as close as I will ever get to that, unless someone wants to "team up" and start running plants head to head on the regular. Any takers? Race teams that have multiple cars learn more on the track than small teams with one car. The treasures I seek are gems of knowledge between growers. I come into this looking for the 10 growers growing the same genetics in the same size pot, not looking for a hierarchy of prizes and winners.

The contest isnt my personal goal, its just the vessel.
Who has seeds stable enough to produce identical characteristics? All the seeds today is a "mish mash" of their ancestors. Very seldom are 2 plants close even out of the same pack.. I vote to choose your own seed.
If you want a contest to "learn" from. Then there you go.
HAF is right, how can you judge honestly without a finished date and list of 4 or 5 characteristic to judge from. Then tally up and the winner is the guy or gal that lasted the duration with the least "flaws".
That is what you judge.
It's about what the grower has learned over his "growing ventures" and research.
I was just throwing an idea out there for a contest.
Mine is simple, 3 pot sizes and grow the shit out of it. Variation of "root zone"
You will learn more from that little experiment on how a plant and its roots work together.
As the @HAF had touched upon,
Like a "Final Exam".
I was one of the 1st members on this forum and have watched the members grow with knowledge, and now are growing some of the "best looking" shit out there. Where were you a year ago, 2 years ago. My, look how you all have grown.
Time to see what you have learned against the other members?
Have at it, I am just an "onlooker" now.
I'm proud of you all!
 

H.A.F.

a.k.a. Rusty Nails
Who has seeds stable enough to produce identical characteristics? All the seeds today is a "mish mash" of their ancestors. Very seldom are 2 plants close even out of the same pack.. I vote to choose your own seed.
If you want a contest to "learn" from. Then there you go.
HAF is right, how can you judge honestly without a finished date and list of 4 or 5 characteristic to judge from. Then tally up and the winner is the guy or gal that lasted the duration with the least "flaws".
That is what you judge.
It's about what the grower has learned over his "growing ventures" and research.
I was just throwing an idea out there for a contest.
Mine is simple, 3 pot sizes and grow the shit out of it. Variation of "root zone"
You will learn more from that little experiment on how a plant and its roots work together.
As the @HAF had touched upon,
Like a "Final Exam".
I was one of the 1st members on this forum and have watched the members grow with knowledge, and now are growing some of the "best looking" shit out there. Where were you a year ago, 2 years ago. My, look how you all have grown.
Time to see what you have learned against the other members?
Have at it, I am just an "onlooker" now.
I'm proud of you all!
Who can keep the most original fan leaves on until harvest :ROFLMAO:
 
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